Hinge structure



Oct. 24, 1961 J. B. HORVAY 3,005,227

HINGE STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 11, 1960 FIG.3

INVENTOR.

JULIUS B. HORVAY BYy g HIS ATTORNEY 3,005,227 HINGE STRUCTURE Julius B. Horvay, Louisville, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 8,145 1 Claim. (Cl. 16-169) The present invention relates to hinge structures for cabinet doors and the like and is particularly concerned with a pivot-type hinge including a readily removable hinge pin and a decorative cap for concealing the exposed portions of the hinge pin and locking the pin in its operative position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pivot-type hinge particularly adapted for mounting a door on a refrigerator cabinet, which hinge includes an easily removable hinge pin and pin locking means for facilitating door mounting in the factory and in the field.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claim annexed to and forming part of this specification.

In carrying out the objects of the present invention, there is provided a pivot-type hinge comprising a hinge bracket adapted to be mounted to the face of a cabinet and having a forwardly extending arm including a threaded opening for receiving a hinge pin. A hinge pin having an end portion for extending into a thimble provided on the door structure is threaded into the threaded opening on the bracket arm and includes a circular or disk-shaped head portion including a plurality of teeth about the periphery thereof. A cover plate or appearance cap is provided for hiding the head portion of the pin. This cover plate includes a flanged edge portion enclosing the bracket arm and walls defining a recess for enclosing the head of the hinge pin. One of the Walls of this recess includes a plurality of notches for engaging the teeth provided on the head of the pin and locking the pin in its threaded position within the bracket. The cover plate is secured to the bracket arm at a single point so that the cap can pivot sufficiently to allow the teeth of the hinge pin and the cap notches to align.

For a better understanding of this invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator cabinet provided with the door hinge embodying the present in vention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view, partially in section, of the cabinet of FIG. 1 showing the detailed construction of the hinge of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the hinge structure of the present invention with a portion of the cap broken away.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown, by way of example, a household refrigerator cabinet 1 having a door 2 mounted upon the front portion of the cabinet for the purpose of closing the access opening to the interior or food storage space within the cabinet. This door is mounted by means of upper hinge 3 and lower hinge 4 of the type which permits the door to pivot about an axis extending through the door so that as the door is moved to its open position it will not extend beyond the plane of the hinge side 5 of the cabinet.

States Patent ice The present invention is concerned with the exposed upper hinge 3. This hinge 3 includes a hinge bracket 7 secured to the face of the cabinet 1 adjacent the access opening, the bracket 7 including an outwardly or forwardly extending arm 8 projecting over the top edge of the door 2 adjacent one side thereof. A hinge pin 9 supported on the arm 8 has a lower end or pivot portion 10 which extends into a thimble 11 carried by the door so that the pin 9 provides the upper pivot for the door.

In accordance with the present invention, the hinge pin i is so designed that the door can be readily mounted on or removed from the cabinet. To this end, the .pin receiving aperture 12 in the bracket arm 8 is threaded and the pin 9 includes a threaded neck portion 14 immediately below the head 15 whereby the pin 9 can be screwed into the bracket arm 8. A decorative cap or cover plate 18 is provided for covering both the bracket arm 8 and the head 15 in order to provide a pleasing appearance to this upper hinge structure. This cover plate includes a downwardly extending flange 19 extending along the sides of the arm 8 and inner walls defining a recess 21 for enclosing the head 15 of the pin 9.

In order to lock the pin in its threaded engagement with the bracket arm as the thimble 11 rotates about the pin during the opening and closing movement of the door 2, the head 15 is provided with a plurality of teeth 22 extending circumferentially about the periphery of the head 15 one or more of which are engaged by one or more notches 23 on the wall 24 forming one side of the recess 21 in the cap or cover plate 18. To facilitate engagement of the teeth 22 with the notches 23 when the cover plate 18 is placed on the arm 8, the wall 24- carrying the notches 23 has a much larger radius of curvature than the head 15 and is preferably substantially straight. A single screw 25 extending through the cover plate 18 and threaded into the bracket arm 8 rearwardly from the wall 24 is provided for securing the cover plate 18 to the hinge bracket 7. By securing the cover plate to the bracket aim at a single point, the cover plate can pivot slightly about this point in a horizontal plane for alignment of the teeth 22 and the notches 23. In other words, the cover plate 18 is free to pivot slightly about the screw 25 in order to bring one or more of the notches 23 into engaging position with regards to the teeth 22. This matching action is preferably obtained by having the recess wall 24 carrying the notches 23 extend substantially tangential to the periphery of the head 15 thus permitting the cover plate 18 to pivot about the point of contact of the wall 24 and the periphery of head 15 for alignment of the cover plate with the bracket arm 8 so that the holding screw 25 can be threaded into the arm 8.

While there has been shown and described a specific embodiment of the hinge structure of the present invention as applied to refrigerator cabinets, it is of course possible that the improved hinge structure can be applied to other types of cabinet structures. The invention therefore is not limited to the specific structure shown and described herein and it is intended by the appended claim to cover all modifications which are within the scope and spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A pivot type hinge comprising a hinge bracket having a horizontally extending arm having a threaded opening said teeth to prevent rotation of said pin, and means for 10 securing said cap to said arm at a single point removed from said head whereby said cap can pivot in a horizontal plane about said point for alignment of said notches with said teeth When said head is in engagement With said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 270,880 Halley Jan. 16, 1883 2,542,340 Mauraton Feb. 20, 1951 2,562,649 Steensen July 31, 1951 Miss 

